Written by Paul J Bucknell on October, 07, 2019

John 4:1-7, 19-26 — A Study:  A More Glorious Worship

Main Point:

Traditions can shape and distort our concepts of worship more than the teachings of God’s Word, but Jesus, through the New Covenant, issues a new age with the all-embracing and refreshing worship of God through His life.

Observations of John 4:1-7 (NASB*)

¹ Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John ² (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), ³ He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. ⁴ And He had to pass through Samaria. ⁵ So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; ⁶ and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. ⁷ There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

Interpretation of John 4:1-7

1. What do you know of Samaria’s background (2 Kings 17:12,5-6)?
2. Describe the composition of the Samaritans (Ezra 4:10).
3. What might be the implications of “He had to pass through Samaria” (4)?
4. Why do you think Jesus stopped there at Jacob’s well (6-7)?
5. Why did the disciples think it odd that Jesus spoke with her (27)?

Observations of John 4:19-26 (NASB*)

¹⁹ The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. ²⁰ Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” ²¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³ But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” ²⁵ The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” ²⁶ Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

A Brief History of the Samaritans

• Shechem (Jacob Gen 33:18-20)
• Omni bought hill and named Samaria (1 Kings 16:23-24)
• King Ahab first Samaria as capital (1 Kings 16:29)
• Judged and deported for evil (2 Kings 17:1-1, 5-6)
• Mixed people (“half-Jew”) (Ezra 4:10)
• Origin of Samaritan worship (2 Kings 17:24-29)
• Jerusalem distanced from Samaria (Ezra 4:1-4)
• Temple on Mt. Gerizim around 450 BC. (cf. John 4:19)

Interpretation of John 4:19-26

• What do we know about the Samaritans’ view of worship (20,25)?
• How and why does Jesus shift the focus of the conversation (20-21)?
• What did Jesus say in verse 22? Why do you think Jesus spoke so strongly here?
• What aspects of worship does Jesus here consider most fundamental (22-26)? What does He mean or imply by each?

• How did Jesus expand a key element of worship in verses 25-26?

Applications of John 4:19-26 on Your Life

• How do tradition and denomination sometimes shape our view of worship? (Consider charismatic, our church, Anglican, Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant)
• Restate the key aspects of worship and relate how we can specifically apply them to our lives?
• What one aspect of the worship of God could be improved in your life, and why?